The Days Are Coming! Definitely!

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’

with power and great glory.

Now when these things begin to take place,

stand up and raise your heads,

because your redemption is drawing near.”

(from Luke 21:25-36)

In 1963 Bob Dylan wrote "The Times They Are a-Changin'" during a time when the civil rights movement was underway and demonstrations against the war in Vietnam were gearing up.

It would become the anthem of his generation.

Dylan wrote the ballad as a deliberate attempt to create an anthem of hope during the changes of the times.

Now, more than 60 years later, it throbs with new meaning.

Today our world is flooded with uncertainty, injustice, conflict, indifference, pain, judgment, and condemnation of anyone who thinks differently.

A word of hope and redemption is greatly needed.

This is nothing new, that’s why the prophets wrote about a “Day of the Lord” when the Lord decisively intervenes to redeem God’s people.

On the “Day of the Lord” the Son of Man will arrive and complete God’s purposes.

Jesus talks about signs in the heavens, warnings from the sea, and the powers of heaven being shaken.

This is when redemption is near.

Jesus’ return changes everything.

A definite future hope inspires faith here and now as we realize our faith is not in vain,

When Jesus returns there will be salvation, justice, redemption, and healing.

The Ruler of All Earthly Kings

Grace to you and peace from

him who is and who was and who is to come

and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,

and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

(from Rev. 1:4-8)

About 17 years ago I wrote a letter to the people in the United Church of Underhill. The purpose of the letter was to explain I was retiring at the end of the Conference Year.

I felt the time had come for me personally to move on and for the church to grow with a new pastor.

I secured a moving company while the church formed a search committee as we both prepared for the inevitable.

This is the nature of the book of Revelation, as recorded in 1:4: “John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia.”

This is Revelation’s context: it was written for the benefit of particular people at a particular time for their particular situation.

John’s letter narrates a drama about God’s imminent invasion of the “kingdom of this world” (Rev.11:15), to take its reins for God’s and Jesus Christ anointed one.

From beginning to end, John calls his audiences to live with this future invasion in view.

Christ the King Sunday in 2024 arrives just as we recover from another presidential election season.

Some woke up the morning after election day and greeted the results with great relief hoping their candidate will provide temporary salvation for the nation; others woke up sure that the nation was on the road to moral collapse.

Every Christian, however, already had, and continues to have, a king who loves and redeems us from the beginning to the end.

Revelation’s vision is a reminder of this hope in King Jesus.

The Lord's Prediction

“When you hear of wars and rumored wars, 

keep your head and don’t panic. 

This is routine history, and no sign of the end.”

(From Mark 13:1-8)

For five years I worked at a boy’s summer camp as an assistant riding instructor.

I had a great deal of respect for him because he not only taught me about riding and teaching but also drew me into a greater maturity.

I loved him for his teaching and mentoring at a significant time in my life.

In the Spring I learned he would not be returning to camp and there would be a new instructor.

That was a Summer of adjustment and grief.

Two summers later I was asked to be the camp riding instructor.

I knew that would be a great responsibility and wanted to do my best as his protégé.

Without him there, it wasn't easy to recall and practice his teaching.

I would imagine the disciples experienced similar feelings and questions.

Without Jesus there physically with them, what did it mean to follow him?

What, if anything, changed in being a disciple? 

Mark, the Gospel writer, uses the example of the Temple destroyed in the future and doomsday deceivers claiming to be the Messiah.

These doomsday deceivers will spread wild conspiracy theories and try to find the exact time of the destruction.

In this confusion, Mark reminds the disciples to keep their heads and not panic, it’s routine history.

What the disciples are to do is continue Jesus’ teachings stay awake and pray.

It seems to me that the challenge of our chaotic times calls us to keep our heads, not panic, and stay awake and pray.